by Conor Murphy
(first piece for HarpinOnRugby)
Why should exclusive & valuable 6 Nations tickets be resold for profit by money-makers searching for a quick buck?
A first ever foray into the world of writing for me, borne out of necessity to offload some steam rather than desire.
At present, the IRFU will tell you that they have sold out of all tickets for the Ireland vs Wales game. According to the announced ticket allocation policy for this year, all tickets for the 6 Nations opener were initially circulated to the various clubs in the country. A select number of tickets were also made available to members of the Irish Rugby Supporters Club - which sold out within hours. Finally, any tickets that the clubs wished to return would be made available to the general public three weeks before the game. Naturally, none were returned.
I fully understand the ticket allocation to the IRSC. I also fully understand Leinster’s policy of making their allocated tickets available to season ticket holders via lottery. These are the people that deserve to be at 6 Nations games the most. My grievance is with the numerous third party sites currently selling tickets for extortionate prices. A simple Google search will return ticket prices above €1000 from third party websites. The most expensive ticket price listed by the IRFU is for €105. That’s a massive return on investment.
In my opinion, IRFU tickets should not be available for resale. The people who initially buy these tickets, be it a ticketing company or an enterprising individual, most likely have absolutely no intention of going to an Ireland match. They buy these exclusive tickets with the sole intention of making money. The end result is that thousands of supporters end up missing out on tickets so that someone can make some quick money.
I could perhaps understand the IRFU’s permission for resale if they were to profit from any sales, but the current system doesn’t seem to benefit anyone who has Irish Rugby’s best interests at heart. Speaking as someone who lives abroad and is only home for 2 months a year, it is pointless for me to have a Leinster season ticket. Despite my good attendance record at past Ireland & Leinster matches, it is impossible to get a ticket to a 6 Nations match for under €150.
If anybody wishes to offer me a free ticket for this weekend’s game in return for the fine piece of writing I have just produced, please feel free.
Conor Murphy (@conmurph89) Ireland & Leinster fan living in New York, who lives for the 6 Nations & all things Irish Rugby. Massive fan of HOR & the respectful debates amongst the followers.
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